I am about to begin covering a brick fireplace with expanded metal lath. I am using 1.5" galv roofing nails pounded into the mortar. Mortar is 50 years old and in too good a shape to allow me to nail it down by hand so I am drilling a hole an inch deep into the mortar and then pounding the nail in the rest of the way. This approach works but it is going to take a while and I was wondering if I can increase the distance between the nails without getting sag in the lath when the plaster goes on. I started placing the nails about 8" apart. The total area being covered is about 80 SF My question is... How far apart canI place the nails? The product that will be applied to the lath is Structo base plaster mixed with sand. Thanks David J

The local museum where I do mechanical work is trying to remove extensive graffitti from the limestone caps on the handrail portion of the buildings steps. The pieces are roughly a foot wide and four inches thick and covered with what appears to be permanent marker. They have tried at least five different commercial commercial graffitti removers without success including my 2500 psi pressure washer. They have given up on chemical means and now the admistrator is proposing to use a woodworking belt sander to try and just refinish the surface. To me this seems a bit brutal. I'm thinking that something like an air operated random orbital sander with wet/dry, fine grit paper and water might give better results. Museum website: [url]http://www.cancom.net/~museum/[/url] Anyone have opinions on this? (Hey Chris, how 'bout having codes turned on here so we can put pictures up? :D )